Owners report more seat problems

Kyle Plush died after being pinned under a seat in his 2004 Honda Odyssey. Video updated November 15, 2018.The Enquirer/Mike Nyerges

Consumer complaints about Honda Odyssey third-row seats continue to stack upin the wake of an Enquirer investigation into the death of Kyle Plush.

From Florida to California, motorists said they too had seat-stability problems with the popular minivans. Similar to complaints reported by The Enquirer in December, the consumers said they had difficulty getting the back-row seats to securely latch in place or said the seats slammed down when unlatched.

The Enquirer investigated previous third-row seat complaints following 16-year-old Plush’s 10 death on April 10. The Seven Hills student was asphyxiated when the seat flipped over on him and pinned him against the closed rear hatchback door.

“(The) third row seats do not latch properly when converting from stow away position to upright seating position,” a Cincinnati motorist complained to federal regulators. “This deficiency was first noticed with passengers seated and the vehicle in motion as inertia caused the seat to rock backwards upon acceleration. This is clearly not the design intention. This occurs everytime the seat is converted.”

The report was filed on Dec. 19, the day after The Enquirer first published its investigation. The complaint was filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal government’s agency for auto safety.

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Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac speaks to reporters about the death of 16-year-old Kyle Plush Thursday during a news conference.(Photo: The Enquirer/Meg Vogel)

The agency’s policy is to redact consumers’ names from complaints. The Enquirer has requested NHTSA release the names under the Freedom of Information Act.

Another motorist from Fort Myers, Florida also told federal officials they had trouble securing their seat in place.

“(The) third row seat will not lock in place,” the motorist reported.

NHTSA officials and Honda officials have said they see no pattern in the Odyssey third-row seat complaints they have received and stressed they straddle different years and generations of the vehicle. Safety advocates say the complaints could indicate a lingering defect.

NHTSA officials did not comment on the latest complaints. Honda officials said its seats are under warranty for three years after which the automaker recommends motorist see their dealership for a repair.

“It’s possible that some components could have worn or become damaged over time, with use, as you’d expect from any moving mechanical component in a vehicle,” Honda spokesman Chris Martin said.

Several NHTSA functions were suspended during the Dec. 22-Jan. 25 shutdown of the federal government amid the impasse between President Trump and Congress.